Combined salt and pepper shaker



F. C. WIDMANN ,COMBINED SALT AND PEPPER SHAKER Filed Nov. 16, 192;

I LEI 52812 022 B 34/8; r wg zul mm/r/ /llnrlllx/llrllllll Patented Dec. 9, 1924.

PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK C. WIDMANN, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

COMBINED SALT AND PEPPER SHAKER.

Application filed November 16, 1923. Serial No. 675,029.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK C. WJDMANN, a citizen .of the United States, residing at Cleveland in the county of Cuyahoga and State of hio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Combined Salt and Fe per Shakers, of which the following is a ful clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to improvements in a combined salt and pepper shaker of the t pc set forth in my copending application, berial No. 630,235, filed April 6th, 1923.

v 16 Briefly, the combined shaker common to that application and the present one comprises a container having a partition therein which divides it into two compartments, a perforated closure disposed across the top of the container, and a selective device cooperating with the closure to permit the flow of one condiment to the exclusion of the other from the container.

The objects of this invention are to sim- 26 plify and cheapen the construction set forth in the above application, and to obtain a selecting device which may be more readily put in place and is less liable to inadvertent removal.

The means for carrying out the above objects will be fully set forth in the following description which pertains to accompanying drawings. 'The essential features of this invention will be summarized in the claims.

In the drawings Fig. 1 ,is a plan view of a combined salt and pepper shaker showing the normal position of the selective device' for permitting the flow of salt therefrom;

Fig. 2 is another plan view showing the device in position to permit the flow of pepper;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on the corrfespondingly numbered line in Fig.' 1; Fig.

4 is an elevation of a part of the container showing the manner in which the selective device may be removed from the container for filling purposes; Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a portion of the container shown in Fig. 4 with the closure attached to the container; Fig. 6 is an elevation of the selecting device removed from the container; and Fig.

7 is a bottom plan view of the closure removed from the container.

I have illustrated my invention as used on a combined salt and pepper shaker 10 which is provided with a partition 11 for dividmg the container into two compartments, as at 12, and 13 respectively. A perforated closure 14 rests upon the top of the container, and has a dividing wall 15 which is adapted to rest on the top of the partition 11. A flange 16 on the closure may extend 1nto the compartment 12 to prevent shifting of the closure with relation to the container and thereby to-insure the dispensing of one condiment to the exclusion of the other.

To attach the closure to the container I prefer to employ a member having a flange 20 which is adapted to engage the top of the closure, and having another flange 21 which is arranged to extend around the outer port1on of the container. This member also serves as a carrier for a slide 22 which may be arranged-to permit the flow of the contents from one compartment to the exclusion of that from the other. The slide is normally held in the position shown in Fig. 1, and is arranged to be moved to the position shown in Fig. 2 upon the manual actuation of a lever or arm 23.

To lock the slide carrier to the container .I prefer to employ a pair of cooperating together with the actuating mechanism therefor, that they may be removed as a unit from the container for refilling purposes. Accordingly, I have shown the-carr1er as having a bracket 30 rigid therewith adjacent the connection between the slide and the lever 23. An arm 31 extends downwardly from the bracket alongside the container and is rigidly attached to the carrier. I prefer to make the arms 23 and 31 out of one piece of spring steel which is bent intermediately as ato 32. The end of the arm 23 may be looped over a bail 33 on the slide to provide a hinge connection therewith.

The member forming the arm 31.and the actuating lever 23 is preferably made of cated in Fig. 1. In this position the condiment inthe compartment 12 will flow from the container to the exclusion of that in the compartment 13. When it is desired to use the contents in the compartment 13 to the exclusion of the contents in the compartment 12, then the user presses the arm 23 toward the container and thereby moves the slide to the position shown in Fig. 2. This movement closes the openings in the closure leading to the compartment 12 and o ens those leading to the compartment 13. s soon as pressure on the lever is released then the resiliency in the spring causes the slide to be returned to the original position.

To lock the carrier and the associated slide to the container I employ, as heretofore stated, a latch 27 which is arranged to coact with shoulder 25 on the container, the preferred construction of this latch embodies a spring which is adapted to conform to the shape of the slide actuating member, as shown particularly in Fig. 3. One end of this spring may be anchored, as at 34:, while the intermediate portion of the spring may be prevented from moving laterally with relation to the outer spring by a retaining band 35. The spring latch may further be retained in proper position by reason of the fact that the latch comprises a pair of prongs, one of which is disposed on each side of the arm 31.

When it is desired to remove the closure for purposes of filling the compartment, the

user releases the latch from engagement with the shoulder 25 by pulling outwardly on the latch 27 against the tension of the inner spring. When the latch is thus released, the carrier and slide means are removed as a uhit from the container. To replace the unit the reverse procedure is followed, that is, the shoulder 26 is placed in engagement with the cooperating shoulder 24 whereupon the opposite side of the carrier is pressed downwardly until the latch 27 is brought into engagement with the shoulder 25.

From the foregoing description it will be understood that my invention provides a device which when adapted to a combined salt and pepper shaker will enable one container to be used for both condiments, and permits the use of one condiment to the exclusion'of the other. Moreover, the invention effects a simple construction which permits the selective control without causing the slide to be inadvertently removed during the normal use of the article.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In combination, a container, a slide adapted to be moved relatively to the container, a carrier for said slide, and a pair of flexible members associated with said carrier, means for operatively connecting one of said members to the slide, the other of said members coacting with the container for locking the carrier thereto.

2. In combination, a container, a slide movable relatively thereto, a carrier for said slide, a flexible member having one end thereof attached to the carrier and having the other end operatively connected to the slide, spaced lugs on the container on opposite sides of the member, and means associated with the spring for engaging the lugs to maintain the carrier in adjusted position with reference to the container.

3.; In combination, a container, a perforated closure therefor, a slide movable relatively to the closure, spaced lugs on the container beneath the closure, complementary shaped springs, one disposed within the other and mounted on the carrier, one of said springs being operatively connected to the slide and the other of said springs being adapted to engage the lugs for positioning the closure on the carrier.

e. In combination, a container, a slide movable relatively to the closure, a carrier for said slide, two complementary shaped flexible members, one serving as a support for the other, one of said members serving to actuate the slide, and the other of said members being adapted to maintain the slide in adjusted position with reference to the container.

5. In combination, a container, a perforated closure therefor, a slide movable relatively to the closure, a carrierfor said slide, a pair of complementary shaped spring members mounted on said carrier, one of said members being operatively connected to the slide, and the other of said members being adapted for locking the carrier to said container.

'6. In combination, a container, a perforated closure therefor, a slide movable relatively to the closure, 2. carrier for said slide, a bowed spring member having one end thereof anchored to the carrier and having the other end thereof operatively connected to the slide, a second spring member having one end thereof anchored to the movable end of the first named spring, a latch associated with the other end of the second spring for engaging the. container and locking the carrier thereto.

7. In combination, a container, a carrier detachably connected with the top of the container, a slide mounted within said carrier, a spring member bent intermediately and having one end thereof attached to the slide carrier, and having the other end thereof operatively connected to the slide, and yieldable means carried by said spring member for locking the carrier to the con-,

removably positioned on the container, a pair of complementary shaped springs one disposed within the other, means for rigidly connecting one end of the outer spring to the carrier, and means for operatively connecting the other end of the outer spring to the slide, the inner spring being adapted to engage the container for locking the carrier thereto.

9. In combination, a container, a perforated closure therefor, a carrier positioned on the top of the container and removably attached thereto, a slide mounted in the carrier, a rigid member attached to'the carrier and extending downwardly along the side of the container, said member having a yieldable arm associated therewith, means for operatively connecting the end of said arm to the slide, a spring carried by said member vand disposed intermediate the member and arm, said spring member being adapted to engage the container for locking the carrier thereto.

a 10. In combination, a container, a per-- forated closure therefor, a carrier positloned on the container and removably attached thereto, a slide mounted in the carrier, a pair of U-shaped, springs extending downwardly along the side of the container, one of said springs being disposed within the other, the outer spring having one end attached to the carrier and having theother end attached to the. slide, the inner spring having one end attached to the movable end of the outer spring and having the other end serving as a latch lock the carrier to said container. In testimony whereof, I here to aflix my signature.

FRANK C. WIDMANN. 

